1999 Ex idle issue
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1999 Ex idle issue
Hello all! Unfortunately this is gonna be my first post. Soooo I have a decent mechanical background but mainly fords. I recently picked up my first Honda in hopes to autocross it eventually but for now shes my daily. I got it with a surging idle (goes up to about 1100-1200 and tach drops to 0 then bounces up again). Was told since the guy just replaced the AICV it needed a simple ECU reset so I bought it. It drives beautifully no real hesitations or misfires just that damn idle. I am aware this is an issue that has been solved on this and various other forums but cant seem to fix it. I have calibrated and replaced the TPS, cleaned throttlebody, have extensively tried to get out every single air pocket in the cooling system, replaced MAP sensor. Still the issue ramains. Like I said it will not do the "bounce" until its warm. Sometimes if I sit at a stop light long enough the tach will sit at 800 but the engine will sound like its stuck rapidly between 750 and 1000 rpm and the gas pedal will almost not work and i have to turn it off and back on again and its fine. Also more rarely, when coming to a stop light the idle will stick at 2000 rpm or so until i break it free by stabbing the pedal real quick, which reverts it back to the 1100-1200 -0 "bounce". Any recommendations are much appreciated! D16y8 130k miles, 5 speed.
FrankenCivic
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 34
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From: Columbus OH
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Hello all! Unfortunately this is gonna be my first post. Soooo I have a decent mechanical background but mainly fords. I recently picked up my first Honda in hopes to autocross it eventually but for now shes my daily. I got it with a surging idle (goes up to about 1100-1200 and tach drops to 0 then bounces up again). Was told since the guy just replaced the AICV it needed a simple ECU reset so I bought it. It drives beautifully no real hesitations or misfires just that damn idle. I am aware this is an issue that has been solved on this and various other forums but cant seem to fix it. I have calibrated and replaced the TPS, cleaned throttlebody, have extensively tried to get out every single air pocket in the cooling system, replaced MAP sensor. Still the issue ramains. Like I said it will not do the "bounce" until its warm. Sometimes if I sit at a stop light long enough the tach will sit at 800 but the engine will sound like its stuck rapidly between 750 and 1000 rpm and the gas pedal will almost not work and i have to turn it off and back on again and its fine. Also more rarely, when coming to a stop light the idle will stick at 2000 rpm or so until i break it free by stabbing the pedal real quick, which reverts it back to the 1100-1200 -0 "bounce". Any recommendations are much appreciated! D16y8 130k miles, 5 speed.
have you reset the ecu and conducted the idle relearn procedure? If you have...is the distributor/ignition timing correct? Mine had that funky surge and "sticking" high idle and it was the ignition timing
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thanks for the reply! Yes, I have tried the idle re learn procedure a fire times. I have not checked ignition timing I'll give that a try and get back to you. Also, is it always a b**** to bleed the coolant? I tried that again with a funnel attached to the rad so the bubbles are easy to see and got to the point where I'd only get some air upon turning off and on the car so I did that a few times but seems like it never ends lol
FrankenCivic
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From: Columbus OH
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yes elevating the front end helps but really isn't needed..."spill proof" funnels work great...top off the radiator, fill the backflow reservoir to its proper level, turn the heater to hot but turn off the fan, everything else off that draws power(not really needed but CYA), start the car and hold the throttle at about 2500 to 3000, you'll see the bubbles come out quicker and it forces the flow of the coolant, do this until the fan kicks on and you should be good to go...always works for me..
ignition timing...any progress on that?
ignition timing...any progress on that?
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Update: thanks for all the replies and suggestions guys. Sooo progress has been haulted for a bit because of work and I've been driving it with the idle issue and it kills me I hope I'm not hurting anything. Ordered a new radiator so was waiting to bleed it again but it still hasn't came so here we are. I drove mine on ramps, got the funnel you suggested and held idle, turned it off and on and finally got to this point. It is idling really good with heat on and does not do the idle up and down until I give it gas. Or if it doesn't do it for a really long time, it will do what my first post said when it seems hot and does the super fast, almost unnoticeable, idle back and forth and you have to turn it off and back on again. I have not been able to get the timing checked hopefully doing that tomorrow!
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